Pioneer Consulting has successfully completed the deployment of the Togolese branch of Google’s Equiano subsea cable on behalf of CSquared Woezon, a joint venture established by CSquared and Togolese state-owned telecoms asset company Société d’Infrastructures Numériques (SIN). The deployment of this subsea cable aims to significantly enhance connectivity in Togo and diversify the country’s digital infrastructure.

This specific branch of the Equiano subsea cable is designed to provide advanced connectivity to Togo, offering up to 3 Tbit/s of capacity between Togo and Portugal. Further plans include extending connectivity to Nigeria and South Africa by the end of 2023. This development marks the second subsea cable landing in Togo, following the Maroc Telecom West Africa system connecting the West African coast with Morocco.

The Equiano subsea cable not only serves as a redundant link, ensuring enhanced reliability but also offers additional broadband capacity, contributing to increased Internet access for various purposes including work, education, telehealth, and entertainment for the Togolese community.

Pioneer Consulting, managed by Gavin Tully, was responsible for the cable landing station’s overall design, procurement, and implementation of the system’s transmission equipment, under contract from CSquared Woezon, solidifying the development of the Equiano branch.

The Equiano cable, initiated by Google, has made significant progress in recent times. The cable’s journey began in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2019, and has since made landings along the western coast of Africa, connecting countries from Portugal to South Africa. Notably, it stretches 15,000km and, apart from Togo, runs through Nigeria and Saint Helena to link Africa with Europe.

Various telecoms services providers and companies, including Seacom and Liquid Dataport, have made agreements and purchases relating to Equiano, contributing to its growing influence and utilization across the continent.

The Equiano cable is part of a trend in Africa’s subsea cable development, with newer systems set to go live in the next two years, aligning with the broader cable boom observed across the continent. The 2Africa subsea cable aims to encircle the continent from Europe, reaching South Africa and continuing through the Indian Ocean, eventually connecting back to Europe on the Italian, French, and Spanish shores.